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| Bill and Dot Bell |
Dot
and Bill Bell are Mexican RV experts and have taught and led seminars
about camping in Mexico throughout Canada and the US. Their website, is considered the most up-to-date source about camping and RVing south of the border.
Questions this issue:
Dog and Cat supplies
Reservations
Baja Gas Stations
Dear Dot and Bill,
Are
there any special recommendations that you have for us bringing our
pets (a small dog and cat) into Mexico? The dog is a very picky eater
and is stuck on his “brand” of dog food as well as leftovers from
“people food.”
Cindy and Ron
Hi Cindy and Ron,
RVers sure love their pets. It is estimated that over one-third of RVers take them with them on vacations! Make
sure you have all your animals’ shots up to date. Get an international
health certificate from your vet and tags if they are available. Do
these as close to your departure date as possible. While it is rare
that the Mexican authorities will ask for the papers, you will have
them just in case. Authorities will specifically ask
about rabies vaccinations.
On
the return side, Mexico into the U.S., it is likely that you WILL be
asked. American custom agents are usually concerned about rabies but are also
concerned that your animal is in good health.
Dog
and cat food is available in Mexico. Some brands are different and
others are the same as back home. You didn’t mention your dog’s
favorite so I cannot comment further. Just to mention that even with
“People food” the same brands at home, for example mayonnaise, can
taste completely different in Mexico. If your dog is extremely food
sensitive we suggest you bring your own supply and augment it with table
scraps once as you would at home. Experiment with a few brands of
Mexican pet food once you are there. Canned tuna is plentiful and cheap.
One couple we know spoils their cat daily.
Note
that on the U.S. international border dog and cat food has been
confiscated when entering the States if it has beef. We call this Mad
Bureaucrat Disease.
Cat litter is available but different in Mexico. Hope your feline buddy can adapt.
Vets are plentiful throughout the country in case there is a health issue. We
loved taking our dog throughout the country. We would encourage you to
take your pets with you and to be a good responsible owner once you are
there.
Dear Editor,
Can
you please help us make a reservation in Mazatlan? We have been trying
to reach some trailer parks but they don’t seem to answer the phone or
get back to us when we leave a message. We have heard the West coast
will be inundated so are concerned about traveling without a
reservation.
Vern and Carla
Dear Vern and Carla,
We
have no inside reservation pull with any of the RV parks and we are not
a reservation service so we don’t have a way of contacting them
individually. We do not receive advertising revenue from them nor do we
have alternative phone numbers. We gather information for our website
when we travel though the area but this can go out of date from season
to season.
You
should be concerned this year about availability of RV sites on the
West Coast from Mazatlan to Ixtapa from January to mid-March. People
have reserved a year in advance when they visited the year before. This
is not to say that spots will not be available, but it will be harder
to find them.
Another
problem you will encounter is that many RV parks are NOT OPEN until
November or are running on maintenance staff only. That means no one is
there to take messages or can speak English. They are even
more reluctant to call you back because long distance calls are
expensive. We suggest you call early November and try then. Do not be
concerned if your travel dates fall outside of the busy season.
Dear Dot and Bill,
We
are planning our first trip down the Baja and have heard that gas
stations can run out of gas. We have also heard that there are areas
without gas stations for hundreds of miles. Are we being paranoid?
Janice and Mark
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| Gasoline vendors on the Baja Bill Bell Photograph |
Dear Janice and Mark,
Congratulations on your upcoming trip. Now relax and take it easy. Gas
stations can and do run out of gas only infrequently. We found
that this was common 15 years ago but is less so now. The
rule of thumb is to fill up your tanks when they are half full.
The
stretch of highway that has NO gas stations is between El Rosario and
Guerrero Negro. Fill up with gas at either of these towns when you pass
through regardless of what level your tanks read. It is over 200 miles
of desert highway with no gas stations. While there are usually a few
Mexicans selling fuel out of barrels for inflated prices, the quality
of gas or diesel is suspect. Best to ride comfortably with a full tank.
Ensure
you are well fueled for any off-road travel and to inquire locally
about availability before you leave. Other than that it is all good.
For more information about RVing and exploring Mexico, go to The Bell's Website or to ask your question about RVing in Mexico write editor@ontheroadin.com
Dot and Bill will be teaching 4 – 5 hour extensive courses in RV Travel for Mexico in Tucson October 20th 2005.
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Traveler's
Guide to Mexican Camping
Headed to Mexico? Make this your guide. Authors
Mike and Terri Church cover everything you need to know to RV in this
inexpensive, fascinating land. More than 250 campgrounds listed, too! |
Mexico
By RV
Have you ever wondered what it would be like
to stay on one of the pristine beaches pictured in all the Mexico travel
books, or explore the historic Colonial regions and visit the ancient
ruin sites. |
Frommer's
Mexico 2005
Everything a visitor to Mexico needs
to know about spending time in the country is here. This is not a camping
guide, but anyone who plans to head south will find it a wealth of necessary
information. |
